The Black Stallion ***1/2

James: * Pretty boring. I wish when the Black Stallion was taking a swim, a giant sea monster would come up and eat him.

Jupiter: ***** (25 stars) I liked it when the boy got rescued. It was a little scary when the boat was on fire. I liked it when the horse was on top of the mountain. Mama, do you know what a black stallion is? It's a boy horse who's black.

Justice: *****A little scary, the boat was on fire. I liked the black horse, and the boat was on fire and the boy kid. I liked when the black stallion lifted up the boy.

Mama: ****This movie was lovely! The cinematography made surprising perspective moves, the acting was subtle and well done and the script was sparse on dialogue, thus avoiding sentimentality--this movie was truly a joy to watch! When Justice went to bed half way through, and one by the one the bigger kids fell asleep, Adam and I kept watching, seeing the movie through. (We did NOT do this with Swiss Family Robinson.) Before they did fall asleep, and especially in the first 40 minutes when Alec and the Black Stallion are shipwrecked, the kids were gripped. Come on, there was a wild stallion on a boat, a fire and a storm, a boy and a horse in danger of being sucked into the ship's motor, a boy trying to survive on an deserted island alone, a cobra attack, and then those amazing scenes of boy and horse finally befriended, galloping along the beach together. There was also popcorn and second helpings on gummy worms. No one was complaining.

Popi: **** Patient and thoughtful, with great attention to the acting, there isn't ten minutes of dialogue in this 2 hour movie. That's how much the actors communicate. The sinking of the ship was gripping and it's followed by 30 full minutes of silent interactions between the boy and the horse. Just when that premise starts to play itself out, Mickey Rooney enters, quietly but with force and great believability. I'm not a student of the Rooney oeuvre, but this is the best I've ever seen him. I think of his "Let's hold a barn dance" roles, but in this movie, I pinched myself several times at the power of his acting. Thankfully, they don't belabor the ending that has to be.